Boulder, Colorado - City Development Fees
Boulder | City | Boulder County | Boulder, CO MSA (Colorado Front Range)
Boulder is a home-rule city and the county seat of Boulder County. Development fees are administered by Planning and Development Services (P&DS), which handles building permits, development review, the Development Excise Tax, Capital Facility Impact Fees, the Construction Use Tax, and water, wastewater, and stormwater plant investment fees under the Boulder Revised Code (BRC). Colorado authorizes local development impact fees under C.R.S. Section 29-20-104.5, and Boulder uses both a Development Excise Tax (BRC Section 383) and Capital Facility Impact Fees (BRC Section 4-20-62) to fund infrastructure. This page presents the impact, building permit, land use review, and utility tap and plant investment fees captured verbatim from the City of Boulder 2026 Planning and Development Services Schedule of Fees. Verify current amounts with the City of Boulder before relying on them.
On this page
Fee Summary
| Fee Type | Status | Top-Line Figure | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impact Fees and Construction Use Tax (Development Excise Tax, Capital Facility Impact Fees) | Confirmed | Capital Facility Impact Fee $4,599-$11,970/unit by sq ft; Development Excise Tax $4,826.22/detached unit, $2.48/sq ft nonresidential; Construction Use Tax 3.860% | 2026 schedule |
| Building Permit and Land Use Review Fees (BRC Sections 4204, 42043(b)) | Confirmed | Building permit valuation-based: $25 (to $500) rising to $5,979 base + $3.85/$1,000 over $1M; Site Review $7,630-$40,580; Rezoning $22,890 | 2026 schedule |
| Utility Tap and Plant Investment Fees (Water, Wastewater, Stormwater) | Confirmed | Water tap $237-$1,183; wastewater tap $238-$961; Water PIF SFR $13,734 indoor + $3.74/sq ft outdoor; Wastewater PIF SFR $5,358/unit; Stormwater PIF $2.87/sq ft | 2026 schedule |
| Special District Fees (Metro Districts / Special Improvement Districts) | Not administered | Metro and special improvement districts (CRS Title 32) are independent landowner-assessed entities; Boulder does not levy a city special-district developer fee | - |
| Proffers | Not applicable | Colorado jurisdictions do not use Virginia-style cash proffers | - |
Impact Fees and Construction Use Tax
Source: City of Boulder 2026 Planning and Development Services Schedule of Fees (SHA-256 59fb9780...), captured verbatim. Colorado authorizes local development impact fees under C.R.S. Section 29-20-104.5. Boulder funds transportation and capital facilities through a Development Excise Tax (BRC Section 383) and Capital Facility Impact Fees (BRC Section 4-20-62), and levies a Construction Use Tax (BRC 3-2-2) on construction materials.
Development Excise Tax - Transportation (BRC Section 383)
| Use | Amount |
|---|---|
| Nonresidential | $2.48 per square foot |
| Residential Detached Dwelling Unit | $4,826.22 per unit |
| Residential Attached Dwelling Unit or Mobile Home | $3,501.50 per unit |
Capital Facility Impact Fees - Residential (BRC Section 4-20-62)
Capital Facility Impact Fees fund Parks & Recreation, Human Services, Municipal Facilities, Police, Fire, and Transportation. Residential rates are tiered by dwelling unit square footage.
| Dwelling Unit Size | Total per Dwelling Unit |
|---|---|
| 799 sq ft and below | $4,599 |
| 800-999 sq ft | $5,784 |
| 1,000-1,199 sq ft | $6,692 |
| 1,200-1,399 sq ft | $7,435 |
| 1,400-1,599 sq ft | $8,073 |
| 1,600-1,799 sq ft | $8,626 |
| 1,800-1,999 sq ft | $9,131 |
| 2,000-2,199 sq ft | $9,531 |
| 2,200-2,399 sq ft | $9,925 |
| 2,400-2,599 sq ft | $10,283 |
| 2,600-2,799 sq ft | $10,640 |
| 2,800-2,999 sq ft | $10,948 |
| 3,000-3,199 sq ft | $11,226 |
| 3,400-3,599 sq ft | $11,737 |
| 3,600 sq ft and above | $11,970 |
Capital Facility Impact Fees - Nonresidential (BRC Section 4-20-62)
| Use | Amount |
|---|---|
| Retail / Restaurant | $27.36 per square foot |
| Office | $39.16 per square foot |
| Hospital | $26.74 per square foot |
| Institutional | $13.14 per square foot |
| Warehousing | $12.90 per square foot |
| Light Industrial | $22.96 per square foot |
Affordable Housing Impact Fee Add-On and Construction Use Tax
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Affordable Housing Impact Fee add-on (expansion/replacement single-unit dwellings) - 499 sq ft and below | $0 per square foot |
| Affordable Housing Impact Fee add-on - 500 sq ft and above (Ordinance 8712, effective Jan 31, 2026) | $11 per square foot |
| Construction Use Tax (BRC 3-2-2) | City use tax rate of 3.860% applied to estimated construction material value (50% of building permit valuation; 30% for ROW/grading permits) |
| Sales and Use Tax - City of Boulder | 3.860% |
| Sales and Use Tax - Boulder County | 1.335% |
| Sales and Use Tax - Total combined rate | 9.195% |
Authority: City of Boulder Planning and Development Services. Development Excise Taxes are imposed under BRC Section 383; Capital Facility Impact Fees under BRC Section 4-20-62; the Affordable Housing Impact Fee under Ordinance 8712 (adopted Nov 6, 2025; effective Jan 31, 2026); and the Construction Use Tax under BRC 3-2-2.
Building Permit and Land Use Review Fees
Source: City of Boulder 2026 Planning and Development Services Schedule of Fees (SHA-256 59fb9780...), captured verbatim. Building permit fees (BRC Section 4204(c)(d)(e)) are valuation-based and use the higher of the applicant estimate or the City's ICC-based valuation table (updated with August 2025 ICC cost data for 2026). Fees are doubled for work begun without a permit.
Building Permit Fees (Valuation-Based, BRC Section 4204)
| Project Valuation | Permit Fee |
|---|---|
| $500 or less | $25.00 |
| $500.01 to $2,000 | $25.00 for first $500 + $3.25 per each additional $100 or fraction |
| $2,000.01 to $25,000 | $74.00 for first $2,000 + $14.95 per each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $25,000.01 to $50,000 | $418.00 for first $25,000 + $10.75 per each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $50,000.01 to $100,000 | $686.00 for first $50,000 + $7.45 per each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $100,000.01 to $500,000 | $1,059.00 for first $100,000 + $5.95 per each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $500,000.01 to $1,000,000 | $3,447.00 for first $500,000 + $5.05 per each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $1,000,000.01 or more | $5,979.00 for first $1,000,000 + $3.85 per each additional $1,000 or fraction |
Energy Code and Demolition Permit Fees
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy Code Fee - Residential | $83.90 |
| Energy Code Fee - Commercial | $104.05 |
| Demolition Permit Fee - Interior non-load bearing | $24.55 |
| Demolition Permit Fee - All other demolition | $173.70 |
Land Use Review Application Fees (BRC Section 42043(b))
| Application Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Site Review Simple (initial application, 3 reviews) | $7,630.00 |
| Site Review Standard (initial application, 3 reviews) | $14,480.00 |
| Site Review Complex (initial application, 3 reviews) | $40,580.00 |
| Rezoning (initial application, 3 reviews) | $22,890.00 |
| Use Review Standard (initial application) | $3,420.00 |
| Concept Plan Review and Comment | $8,915.00 |
| Preliminary Plat for a Subdivision | $7,630.00 |
| Minor Subdivision | $1,750.00 |
| Annexation / Initial Zoning Simple | $5,000.00 |
| Annexation / Initial Zoning Standard | $15,000.00 |
| Annexation / Initial Zoning Complex | $20,000.00 |
| Planning Board fee (added to each land use application requiring a Planning Board hearing) | $1,580.00 (refundable if withdrawn prior to publication on agenda) |
Technical Document Review and Administrative Review Fees
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Technical Document Review (Utility Plan Review) - Simple | $1,540.00 initial |
| Technical Document Review (Utility Plan Review) - Standard | $3,090.00 initial |
| Technical Document Review (Utility Plan Review) - Complex | $6,170.00 initial |
| Administrative Review - Administrative Parking Deferral | $337.00 |
| Administrative Review - Administrative Setback Variance | $252.00 |
Authority: City of Boulder Planning and Development Services. Building permit fees are established under BRC Section 4204(c)(d)(e); land use review application fees under BRC Section 42043(b).
Water, Wastewater, and Plant Investment Fees
Source: City of Boulder 2026 Planning and Development Services Schedule of Fees (SHA-256 59fb9780...), captured verbatim. Boulder charges water and wastewater tap fees (physical connection charges) separately from Plant Investment Fees (PIFs, which recover capacity and infrastructure costs).
Water Tap Fees (BRC Section 42023(e))
| Tap Size / Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| 3/4-inch in DIP/CIP pipe | $237.00 |
| 3/4-inch in AC/PVC pipe | $237.00 |
| 1-inch in DIP/CIP pipe | $289.00 |
| 1-inch in AC/PVC pipe | $289.00 |
| 1.5-inch | $381.00 |
| 2-inch | $381.00 |
| 4-inch | $583.00 |
| 6-inch | $641.00 |
| 8-inch | $724.00 |
| 12-inch | $1,183.00 |
| Water Tap Call Back Fee (site not ready for tap) | $312.00 |
Wastewater Tap Fees (BRC Section 4-20-27(c))
| Tap Type / Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| 4-inch PVC/VCP pipe | $238.00 |
| 4-inch RCP pipe | $430.00 |
| 6-inch PVC/VCP pipe | $295.00 |
| 6-inch RCP pipe | $430.00 |
| Manhole tap (8-inch or larger) | $961.00 |
| Wastewater Tap Call Back Fee (site not ready for tap) | $238.00 |
Water Plant Investment Fees (BRC Sections 4-20-26, 4-20-29, 4-20-46)
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| New Single-Family Residential - Indoor component | $13,734.00 |
| New Single-Family Residential - Outdoor component (first 5,000 sq ft of irrigable area) | $3.74 per sq ft (2,000 sq ft minimum) |
| New Single-Family Residential - Outdoor component (next 9,000 sq ft irrigable area) | $3.12 per sq ft |
| New Single-Family Residential - Outdoor component (over 14,000 sq ft irrigable area) | $2.50 per sq ft |
| New Multi-Family Residential (1-2 bedroom unit) - Indoor component | $9,157.00 per unit |
| New Multi-Family Residential (3 bedroom unit) - Indoor component | $11,446.00 per unit |
| New Multi-Family Residential (4 bedroom unit) - Indoor component | $13,734.00 per unit |
| New Multi-Family Residential (5 or more bedroom unit) - Indoor component | $16,023.00 per unit |
| Irrigation-Only Service | $3.74 per sq ft of irrigable area (2,000 sq ft minimum) |
Wastewater and Stormwater Plant Investment Fees
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Wastewater PIF (Sections 4-20-26, 4-20-29, 4-20-46) - Single-Family Residential | $5,358.00 per unit |
| Wastewater PIF - Multi-Family Residential (1-2 bedroom unit) | $3,571.00 per unit |
| Wastewater PIF - Multi-Family Residential (3 bedroom unit) | $4,084.00 per unit |
| Wastewater PIF - Multi-Family Residential (4 bedroom unit) | $5,358.00 per unit |
| Wastewater PIF - Multi-Family Residential (5+ bedroom unit) | $6,250.00 per unit |
| Stormwater/Flood Management PIF (BRC 11-5-9) | $2.87 per sq ft of additional impervious area |
Authority: City of Boulder Planning and Development Services, which administers water, wastewater, and stormwater connection and plant investment fees. Nonresidential / commercial Water PIF rates are based on meter size and annual water budget and are not reproduced here (see Coverage Notes).
Coverage Notes - What This Page Does Not Cover
Per ZoneFee's Partial-Verified Publication Standard, the items below were either not administered by the City of Boulder or were not captured with full detail from the hashed official source document in this pass. They are disclosed here rather than estimated, paraphrased from a non-official source, or omitted silently. These items remain under limited-coverage review until these gaps are closed.
Effective date of the 2026 Schedule of Fees
The fee table source is the City of Boulder 2026 Planning and Development Services Schedule of Fees (SHA-256 59fb9780...), which uses ICC August 2025 cost data. The exact adoption or effective date of the 2026 schedule was not captured verbatim from the official source in this pass, so the Fee Summary Effective Date column reads "2026 schedule" rather than a specific date. The one date that is documented is the Affordable Housing Impact Fee add-on under Ordinance 8712, which is specifically effective January 31, 2026.
Nonresidential Water Plant Investment Fees
Commercial and industrial (nonresidential) Water PIF rates are based on meter size and annual water budget (the meter-size / AWC table in the 2026 fee schedule) and were not captured in full detail in this pass. The residential Water PIF rates above are complete and verbatim. Water meter material and installation fees and right-of-way permit fees also exist in the 2026 schedule and were not extracted in this pass.
Special District Fees (Metro Districts / Special Improvement Districts)
Metro districts and special improvement districts in Boulder are landowner/developer-assessed entities operating under C.R.S. Title 32. They are not city-administered development fees, and Boulder city government does not levy a special-district application or developer-impact fee as a city fiscal instrument. The 2026 Planning and Development Services Schedule of Fees (the authoritative city fee schedule) contains no special district fee section; probes of the fees-and-taxes landing page and the candidate "capital-expansion-fees" and "special-district" service pages returned no city special-district fee table (the latter two returned HTTP 404). Closed-search outcome: this fee family is not administered by this jurisdiction.
Proffers
Colorado municipal law does not authorize or use the Virginia-style conditional cash proffer system (Virginia Code Sections 15.2-2303 and 15.2-2303.4 have no Colorado counterpart). Developer capital contributions in Boulder occur through the Development Excise Tax, Capital Facility Impact Fees, building permit and review fees, and utility connection and plant investment charges. Closed-search outcome: this fee family does not apply to this jurisdiction.
Fee Authorities
| Authority | Fee Types | Official Website |
|---|---|---|
| City of Boulder - Planning and Development Services | Building permit fees, development review and land use review fees, Development Excise Tax, Capital Facility Impact Fees, Affordable Housing Impact Fee, Construction Use Tax, water and wastewater tap fees, and water, wastewater, and stormwater plant investment fees | bouldercolorado.gov |
Sources
| Document | Agency | Accessed |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Planning and Development Services Schedule of Fees (all rendered fee amounts) (SHA-256 59fb9780...) | City of Boulder - Planning and Development Services | 2026-06-25 |
| Construction Use Tax (supplementary - confirms BRC 3-2-2 application) | City of Boulder - Tax and Licensing Division | 2026-06-25 |
| Planning and Development Services Fees and Taxes (supplementary - confirms Affordable Housing Impact Fee Ord 8712) | City of Boulder - Planning and Development Services | 2026-06-25 |
Last verified by ZoneFee: 2026-06-25. Fee schedules are subject to change. Verify current rates directly with the City of Boulder Planning and Development Services before relying on this data for any financial decision.
This page reflects fee data sourced from the City of Boulder 2026 Planning and Development Services Schedule of Fees (SHA-256 59fb9780...). ZoneFee does not guarantee that fee amounts are current at the time you read this page. Fee schedules change. The exact adoption or effective date of the 2026 schedule was not captured verbatim from the official source (the schedule is labeled "2026" and uses ICC August 2025 cost data; the Affordable Housing Impact Fee add-on under Ordinance 8712 is specifically effective January 31, 2026). Nonresidential Water Plant Investment Fee rates by meter size and annual water budget are disclosed as a coverage gap pending full capture. Colorado jurisdictions do not use Virginia-style cash proffers, and Boulder does not levy a distinct city-administered special-district developer fee (metro and special improvement districts operate under C.R.S. Title 32 as independent landowner-assessed entities). Verify all current rates directly with the City of Boulder before relying on this data for land acquisition, project budgeting, or any financial decision. This page is for research and due-diligence reference only - it is not legal or financial advice.